The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-11-19
ASHAMED OF THE EARLY DAYS.

At the opening of the Arkansaw exposition, an institution which can- not fail to be of great advantage to that progressive state, Judge E. w. Kimball deprecated the old and now classic story and music of the "Ar- kansaw Traveller" In commenting upon this shame faced turning from a picture of early days, the Little Rock Clipper says:
 His allusion to the "Arkansaw Traveller" incident is open to criti- cism, and few will agree with him that the old story which has been so pleasantly told has retarded the pro- gress of the state to any great extent.
 The tune of the "Arkansaw Trav- eler'' and the dialogue that accom- panies it will live forever, and the only harm they will ever do will be to recall the most humorous scene that ever occurred in Arkansaw during the early days of it's settlement.
 It has been a great advertisement for Arkansaw by reason of it's having awakened an interest among persons who knew little or nothing about the state to seek further knowledge of territory in which such an original and unique story had it's origin.
 It takes a great state to produce such a scene as the one enacted be- tween the traveller and the squatter.
 Worse tales than this simple and innocent one can be told that will be more hurtful to the interests of Ar kansaw.
 The truth never hurts an honest state, and Arkansaw is surely an hon. est state.
 When Judge Kimball revises his speech we trust he will leave out of it his allusions to the "Arkansaw Tray eler."
 There is too much mortality in the story for any orator to attempt to rob it of it's glory.
 There is not an old citizen now liv- ing in Arkansaw who was in the state when that incident occurred who would have the least desire to go to heaven if they thought there was any doubt of meeting there the famous squatter and the renowned visitor, who was somewhat of fiddler him. self.
 Just imagine the two grand old pioneers playing the melodious tune with celestial variations upon instru- msnts modelled differently from the ones they used in "Arkansaw" and of the prevailing patterns of the ones in use in the realms above!
 The New England orator might just as well advise the Romans to abandon the story about Nero fiddling upon the housetops of the Eternal City while his minions were reproducing in the streets the destruction of Pom peii amid the slaughter of the inno- cent.
 History records the burning of Rome to the music of Nero's fiddle, but nei- ther the tune nor the instrument has been preserved. When Paganini, the greatest violinist of the present cen- tury, died, he willed his Stradivarian instrument, of which he was the sole master, and from whose strings he bowed language that electrified thousands of spectators, to the city of Genoa. It was placed in a glass case in one of the museums of that city, and millions of travellers have since gazed upon the quaint curiosity.
 The music of Paganini lives, but not single one ot his compositions has been played one-tenth as many times as the simple tune of the "Ar- kansaw Traveller"
 There is not person in the United States to-day who has obeyed the callers prompt of "All hands 'round," who did not do SO to the tune that had it's origin in the wilds of Arkan- saw.
 Long live the story of the "Ar- kansaw Traveller" and the melody that he awkwardly sawed out of his primi- tive violinl
 The Clipper will give ten thousand dollars for the fiddle upon which that tune was first played!
 If the exposition directors will pro- cure the instrument and put it in glass case among the curiosities in their exhibit there will be a greater number of visitors who will come from Massachusetts and the other New England states to see it than ever went to Genoa to see the famous fiddle that belonged to Paganini.
 The coon-skin that Judge Kimball advises to be taken from the squatter's cabin will remain where it is. His appeal in that direction will have as much effect as it would if he had urged the superstitiously inclined to take the luck-producing horse shoe from the door.
 If the state government will erect a statue in the state house yard in honor of the WArkansaW TraYaler1, and nlace